SERVER BASED GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING ONE OR MORE DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS

• US 20080070695A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: MacVittie, Michael, Schneider, Richard, Manfredi, Vince, Iddings, Cara, Baerlocher, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/830,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070695A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited

Abstract

A gaming system includes a central server or controller operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming machines to provide non-tournament game play and to provide tournament game play on the same gaming machines.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at a plurality of gaming machines;

(b) enabling any qualified player at one of the gaming machines to make a designated input that the player desires to play a round of a tournament, said tournament including a plurality of different rounds, wherein a plurality of said rounds are each playable at a plurality of different times, and wherein said player is required to play a designated number of rounds to complete the tournament;

(c) for each gaming machine, upon the designated input at said gaming machine;

(i) causing said gaming machine to provide tournament play; and

(ii) causing said gaming machine to enable any qualified player to play one of the rounds of the tournament at said gaming machine, and wherein each round includes a plurality of tournament games played at said gaming machine, each tournament game play resulting in a displayed tournament game outcome;

(d) after a time period for the last round, determining at least one tournament winner based on results associated with tournament game outcomes displayed to the qualified players; and

(e) displaying an indication of an award to be provided to the at least one tournament winner.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes providing tournament play by sending at least one command to said gaming machine to switch to tournament play.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes for each gaming machine, upon the designated input at said gaming machine, sending at least one tournament game program to said gaming machine.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes, after said tournament, sending at least one command to said gaming machine that provided tournament play to provide non-tournament play.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes, after said tournament, for each gaming machine with the designated input, sending at least one non-tournament game program to said gaming machine that provided tournament play.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes enabling non-qualified players to continue to play non-tournament games during said tournament.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes determining player qualification for the tournament based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a player card level, a location of one of the gaming machines, a wager amount, a placement of a side wager, an amount won, a jackpot win, a bonus win, a player tracking rank, and a win from another tournament.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said tournament play does not require wagers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each non-tournament game is operable upon a wager by one of the players.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said gaming machines includes a visible indicator.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the visible indicator to display an indication when said gaming machine is providing tournament play.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the visible indicators to indicate when each said gaming machine is providing non-tournament play.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein tournament play and non-tournament play each include a same type of game.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein tournament play and non-tournament play include a same game.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said award includes promotional credits.

16. The method of claim 1, which includes at least one tournament winner based on the results associated with tournament game outcomes of less than all of the rounds.

17. The method of claim 1, which includes, after each round, determining at least one round winner for each round based on results associated with tournament game outcomes of each individual round, wherein said round winners are in addition to the tournament winner.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein each round includes a plurality of sessions.

19. The method of claim 1, which includes enabling each qualified player at one of the gaming machines to make the designated input that the player desires to play the tournament after said player registers for said tournament.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said designated number of rounds includes each of the rounds.